Explore the sacred domains

Sincretismo is a folk/black metal band from Cusco, Peru, active since 2016, and one of the clearest exponents of Andean‑rooted extreme metal in the southern highlands. Their music fuses paganism, syncretic spirituality, Andean cosmogony, and regional mythology with the aggression of black metal and the melodic, ritualistic character of Andean folk traditions. The band is signed to Pentagram Records, a label known for documenting Peruvian underground metal.

Formation and artistic identity

Sincretismo was founded in 2016 by Ñaupamachu and Huayraillapa, both guitarists who shaped the band’s core sound. From the beginning, the project embraced Andean musical structures, wind instruments, and themes tied to runas (Andean people), ancestral myths, and the spiritual dualities of the Andes.
A YouTube promotional description emphasizes that the band “uses elements of Andean music in both structure and instrumentation… expressing myths, experiences of the runas, and historical events under Andean resistance.”

Their aesthetic blends:

• tremolo‑driven black‑metal riffing
• traditional Andean wind instruments (quena, antara)
• ritualistic rhythms
• lyrics rooted in paganism, syncretism, and Andean mythology
• a raw but melodic approach typical of Peruvian folk‑black metal

This positions Sincretismo within the lineage of Andean metal that includes acts like Kranium, Illapa, and more recent Cusco‑based projects.

Lineup

The band’s lineup has remained stable since the late 2010s, with members taking on both metal and traditional Andean roles:

• Ñaupamachu — guitars (2016–present)
• Huayraillapa — guitars (2016–present), wind instruments (2018–present)
• Marquez — vocals (2016–present)
• Auccapuma — drums (2018–present)
• Inquisidor — bass (2019–present)

Past members include Jose Ibrain Pizarro Silva (drums, 2016–2017) and Luis Ernesto Hanco Gayona (wind instruments, 2016–2018).

Discography and evolution

Sincretismo’s recorded output is concise but foundational for their identity:

• Rehearsal I (Demo, 2018) — A raw early document featuring tracks such as Chinchillico, Condenado, and Guerreros de piedra. Released in a very limited CD‑R edition of 25 copies.
• Paganismo & misantropia (Split with Huasao, 2020) — Their most important release to date, issued by Pentagram Records. It includes four Sincretismo tracks: Obertura, Chinchilico, Guerreros de Piedra, and Chakanapunku. The split highlights their mature sound: ritualistic, melodic, and deeply tied to Andean mythic imagery.

Their track “Chinchilico” also appears on Burning in Pentagram: Compilatorio Peruano Vol. VIII (2020), further cementing their presence in the Peruvian underground.

Position in the Peruvian scene

Sincretismo stands out as one of the few Cusco‑based black‑metal bands with a fully developed Andean folk identity. Their music reflects:

• a strong connection to Andean ritual culture
• the fusion of pagan and syncretic worldviews
• the preservation of regional myths through extreme metal
• participation in national compilations and collaborations with other Andean‑themed metal acts

Their work contributes to the broader movement of Andean black metal, where indigenous identity, mythic storytelling, and extreme music converge.